LYNDON STEPHEN HOLMES
Pilots at Boxford St, North Andover, MA

6119108, Sep 12, 2000

Oct 1, 1998

9/164971

Lyndon S. Holmes - North Andover MA
James King - Westford MA

Aires Systems Corporation - North Andover MA

G06F 1760

705 40

The present invention is designed to improve distribution of electronic objects by permitting publishers to enforce the copyrights associated with their objects. In accordance with the present invention, respective unique publisher identification information (e. g. , including publisher identity, account number, and copyright fees for a given document, etc. ) is embedded by the system into respective conventional object data files. When a user initially downloads a given electronic file and seeks to access same (e. g. , via viewing and/or printing), the user is required by the system to electronically purchase (e. g. , via electronic finds transfer, Cybercash. TM. , credit card transactions, or the like) an appropriate user access license for the object, based upon the publisher identification information embedded in the object. At the time of purchase of such license, the system requires the user to supply sensitive user information (e. g. , the user's name, address, telephone number, occupation, credit card number, bank account number, Cybercash. TM.